


Of Cavemen and Syrupy Goodness

by defeatedbyabridge



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-30
Updated: 2012-09-30
Packaged: 2017-11-15 08:23:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/525190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/defeatedbyabridge/pseuds/defeatedbyabridge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When things go kablooey, Beverly Crusher has to pick up the pieces.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Cavemen and Syrupy Goodness

"I don't know why you care," Riker said slowly, from the door. He didn't turn his head, so Beverly couldn't see his face. 

She thumped her desk sharply. She didn't usually hit things, but enough was enough. "I care," she took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down a little, "because Deanna had one of those psychic nightmare things last night when I walked past her quarters, and if she's upset then you are, too. Believe it or not I actually care about you both." 

"Oh," said Riker. Beverly could hear dawning amusement in his voice. Good. So he was starting to put aside the melodramatic Must Put Up Walls And Keep Everyone Out!!!! silliness. 

Beverly stalked over to him and poked him in the shoulder until he finally turned to face her again. "The amount of lust she poured into my head nearly made me learn how to use the transporter just so I could beam you into my bed without your clothes, with a jar of chocolate pancake syrup!" 

Riker sighed, and relaxed finally. The lines of tension etched on the sides of his mouth eased a little. "You're right. I'm sorry. I've been acting like an adolescent." 

"Yes," she said, "you have. You need to talk about this stuff, Will. Not shut yourself away in your quarters. I hope you haven't written any bad poetry."

"What a terrible thought." He shuddered. "No, I have not, madam, though I do confess to the occasional mournful session with my sax." 

Beverly hitched a hip up onto her desk, and shot a meaningful glance towards Alyssa Ogawa, who was headed her way with a padd. Alyssa raised her eyebrows, but obediently scurried off to Doctor Z'glhhh. 

"Okay, Will. I know you're hurting. It's never easy to break up with someone, and you and Deanna have broken up two or three hundred times, now. You can talk to me about it if you want, or you can talk to someone else. Please talk to *someone* or go do some obnoxious male caveman thing in the holodeck, whatever you need, because you're a nice guy and you're quite attractive, but I'm not really prepared to think of you *that* way." 

Riker nodded. "Has the captain said anything?" 

Beverly folded her arms and shrugged one shoulder. "Oh, yes, he did. He wanted to use *caramel* syrup." 

Riker spluttered in a most satisfactory way. Beverly grinned. "He did make a passing reference to me along the lines of, 'Those with considerably more than their allotment of cranial hair acting like bears with sore heads', which I assumed meant you. Deanna seems to be coping, apart from the dreams. But as a Betazoid and a counsellor she's a little different from you."

"Okay." His brow furrowed. "I'm glad she's all right. We haven't really run into each other much since it happened. Thanks, Beverly."

"My pleasure, Will." 

He turned again and walked out. Beverly stood up and stretched the kinks out of her shoulders. She had an urgent 'appointment' with Jean-Luc, and now she knew exactly what to take. 

She grinned. Caramel syrup. Mmmmm.


End file.
